


Against a Feather

by talkingtothesky



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Episode: s05e02 SNAFU, Episode: s05e05, Gen, Love Confessions, M/M, Season/Series 05
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-21 19:48:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20698922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talkingtothesky/pseuds/talkingtothesky
Summary: "I don’t care what you’ve done, I care who you are. And the man I’ve come to know is remarkable.”





	Against a Feather

**Author's Note:**

> With thanks to MnemonicMadness for inspiration and encouragement.
> 
> Contains one mention each of John/Iris and Harold/Grace.
> 
> Title from 5x02: "Like Anubis, you will have to weigh each and every one of our hearts against a feather."
> 
> (Which, if you take that literally, we're all going down before we've even started.)

John headed back to the Subway after making sure Elias was okay. As soon as he walked in, Root patted Harold on the back and gave him a significant look. Harold bowed his head, avoiding both their eyes.

To John, Root offered a knowing wink and an obviously fake yawn. “Time for my nap.” She went into her makeshift bedroom, put on cosy earmuffs and shut the curtains.

John followed this performance with a perplexed frown. “What’s going on?”  
  
Harold swallowed. “We should talk.” He went into the train car and sank into his desk chair.

John followed him in. “About the Machine? Did it win a simulation yet?”

Harold looked even more forlorn when he brought that up. “No, this is a personal matter.” He indicated John should take a seat on the white plastic bench opposite.

John obeyed, suspecting he was in for a lecture. “Okay.”

Harold’s eyes widened as he thought hard, palms rubbing his thighs. “Where to start. So. I realize that you just got out of a relationship -”

John wasn’t expecting this at all. “Iris? What-?"

Harold lifted a hand. “Please, let me finish. You went missing today. From our point of view, there was a real possibility you’d been captured by Samaritan. I know it’s so far past time for me to say this. I’m tired of pretending. I’ve been safeguarding our friendship but lately that seems to be drifting away from us as well.”

John wanted to object, to list evidence to the contrary, but Harold kept talking.

“I have found that I have feelings for you that go beyond the platonic. I don’t expect this to make any difference to you. But if either one of us were to die tomorrow, I would prefer to be sure you knew I loved you.” A pause before Harold’s face brightened. “There, I said it. That was easy.” He smiled and his eyebrows moved in a kind of shrug. “Well, now you know.” He stood and picked up his hat, shoulders tucked forward meekly. He was already out of the subway car by the time John managed to speak.

“Harold.”

He turned back. “There’s no need to respond. I’m not propositioning you, much as I…” He shook his head.

John would have liked to hear the end of that sentence. As he got up, the curtain behind Harold twitched.

“Root knew about this?” Seemed pretty unlikely she was asleep in there.

“Not in so many words. She’s perceptive. And truly worried when we lost your signal today.”

John made a mental note to thank her later.

“I think I’m hurt you figured I’d go easy. You keep forgetting I’m responsible for so many terrible things I’ve lost count. I’ll do more to stay in this fight if I have to.”

Harold gestured to the screens on the wall of the car. “Sixty-two people.” John froze. “That the Machine knows about. We scanned you with the open system. I haven’t forgotten, I just don’t care. I don’t care what you’ve done, I care who you are. And the man I’ve come to know is remarkable.”

That level of acceptance was almost too much. It seemed at odds with Harold’s refusal to let him kill the congressman. But this war was changing all of them.

John placed a hand on his arm and walked him to the further end of the tunnel. It was a shame this was the most privacy they could get right now. Maybe he should look into acquiring more dividers and furniture.

He brought his lips close to Harold’s ear and murmured “I’m nothing compared to you, Finch.”

Harold’s breathing skipped.

John leaned back and met his eyes. “I mean it. I had a bad crush on you at first, but after I found out about Grace I pushed it away for the most part.”

There was the thinnest thread of hope in Harold’s reply. “For the most part?”

He’d go into more detail about that some other time. And there _would_ be more time. He let his hand encompass Harold’s, tangling their fingers. “I’m willing to try, if you are.”

Harold was searching for something. His expression faltered between at least ten different moods before settling on determination. “I am.” He took John’s hand and held on tight.


End file.
